The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Tibouchina plant, botanically known as Tibouchina mutabalis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PMA Tib 1’.
The new and ornamental variety was selected by the breeder as a result of an ongoing breeding program that has been conducted by the inventor for more than thirty years at the inventor's nursery in Victoria Point, Queensland, Australia. The purpose of the breeding program is to produce novel varieties of Tibouchina in varying plant sizes, flower colors, and which are well-suited to a range of climate zones. ‘PMA Tib 1’ is a hybrid plant derived from the deliberate controlled cross-pollination of the unpatented female parent, an individual seedling of Tibouchina mutabilis, named ‘Noelene’, and the unpatented male parent, an individual plant of Tibouchina mutabilis named ‘Jazzie’. The inventor emasculated flowers of the female parent and applied pollen that was freshly collected from the male parent in 2002. The parent plants were isolated to prevent open pollination. In 2004, the inventor selected ‘PMA Tib 1’ as a seedling that had been raised from the cross-pollination described herein. Selection was based on the criteria of habit, flower color, and plant dimensions. The plant was then propagated in 2006 via vegetative cuttings to produce a new generation for final evaluation.
Further, asexual reproductions of ‘PMA Tib 1’ in Victoria Point, Queensland, Australia has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are retained and reproduced true to type through more than six successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The color references made herein are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticulture Society of London, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used.
The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variation in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and determined to basic characteristics of ‘PMA Tib 1’ which, in combination, distinguish this Tibouchina plant as a new and distinct cultivar:                1. White flowers with a purple margin upon first opening that turn completely mauve/purple when mature;        2. Dense plant habit;        3. Strong vigor;        4. Saucer-like, multi-colored flowers;        5. Large flower size with overlapping petals;        6. Abundant flowers; and        7. Woody, long-lived, and large shrub.        
‘Noelene’ exhibits a lighter mauve/pink mature flower color, larger mature plant dimensions, and lack of significant petal overlap than ‘PMA Tib 1’. ‘Jazzie” exhibits smaller flowers than ‘PMA Tib 1’ and single purple colored petals that do not distinctly change in color.
Further, the new variety exhibits a larger flower size, larger mature plant dimensions, and significantly overlapping petals than ‘Chameleon’ (unpatented).